げ
🃏 Flashcard
げ
ge
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looks like; seems like; appears to
N2
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📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N2
Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage
Reading
ge
Post ID
51019
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
looks like; seems like; appears to
📖 How to use it
Attach げ to adjectives or verbs to say someone or something looks a certain way.
Attaches to
Attach to the い-stem (ren'yōkei) of a verb (e.g., 話し + げ is not standard; use 言い + げ for 'seeming to say'), to the stem of an い-adjective (drop final い, e.g., 悲し + げ), or to the stem of a な-adjective (e.g., 静か + げ). Also attaches to the たい-stem of verbs to express desire (e.g., 言いたげ).
げ turns a descriptive word into a noun-like expression meaning 'having an air of' or 'seeming'. It describes an outward appearance or manner that suggests an inner state. For example, 悲しげ (kanashige) means 'looking sad', and 遠慮げ (enryoge) means 'seeming reserved'. It often appears before に (adverbially) or with だ/な (as a na-adjective). It is more literary and written than casual conversation, but you hear set phrases like 寂しげ (sabishige) or 得意げ (tokuige).
彼女は悲しげに窓の外を見ていた。
Kanojo wa kanashige ni mado no soto o mite ita.
She was looking out the window with a sad expression.
彼はテストに合格して、得意げな顔をしていた。
Kare wa tesuto ni goukaku shite, tokuige na kao o shite ita.
He passed the test and had a proud look on his face.
その子は何か言いたげに私を見つめた。
Sono ko wa nanika iitoge ni watashi o mitsumeta.
The child stared at me as if she wanted to say something.
Not そうだ (looks like)
そうだ is used for immediate appearance or hearsay and is common in speech. げ emphasizes a manner or atmosphere and often describes a person's mood or attitude. For objective appearance (e.g., おいしそう), use そうだ; for a person's expression (e.g., 寂しげ), use げ.
Register
げ has a literary, often written feel; in casual speech, it is less common but appears in fixed expressions like 寂しげ or 得意げ.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
げ
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat げ three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using げ. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N2 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern げ mean?
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Looks like; seems like; appears to
What JLPT level is げ?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N2 — Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use げ in a sentence?
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Attach げ (ge) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is げ formal or casual Japanese?
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げ is used in formal or written contexts. You will see it mainly in written texts, news, business Japanese and academic contexts.
How can I remember げ long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.